Ulster final once more for kings of Kilcoo

30 November 2022

THE Kilcoo juggernaut has rolled on inexorably to another Ulster final.

The defending champions are through to a third successive Ulster Club SFC decider after a comfortable 11-point win over Enniskillen Gaels at the Athletic Grounds, Armagh, on Saturday evening.

Their opponents in the provincial final on December 11 will be Derry champions Glenn who defeated Cargin from Antrim in the other semi-final on Sunday.

It’s the final most pundits predicted and Kilcoo are hot favourites to become Ulster kingpins one again.

They are now one win away from becoming the first club to win a hat-trick of Ulster titles since Crossmaglen in 2012.

And who’s to say they can’t go on and retain their All-Ireland crown?

Certainly the manner in which they saw off Enniskillen Gaels will not have gone unnoticed.

The Fermanagh hopefuls were blown away by half-time after the Magpies came at them like a whirlwind.

A brace of goals from Shealan Johnston put Kilcoo in firm control in the first half and, playing with the aid of a strong wind, the Down champions were 13 points clear at half-time on a scoreline of 2-8 to 0-1.

Remarkably, Enniskillen didn’t have a shot at goal in the opening quarter and had to wait 24 minutes for their only point of the half.

Kilcoo notched early scores through Jerome and Shealan Johnston before the latter netted his first goal in the fifth minute.

Enniskillen appeared to be mesmerised by Kilcoo’s speed and power. Conor Laverty curled over a point before Darryl Branagan kicked two superb scores to stretch Kilcoo’s lead to 1-6 to 0-1 after John Reihill had fisted over Enniskillen’s sole contribution to the scoreboard.

Enniskillen only had themselves to blame for Johnston’s second goal as goalkeeper Cian Newman’s pass wen to straight to Laverty.

In a flash he found Ceilum Doherty, who set up Johnston to shoot high into the net with Newman stranded.

Enniskillen improved in the second half. Substitute Eoin Beacom was brought on after the break, and the full-forward made a considerable impact, kicking two scores either side of points from Richard O’Callaghan and Conor Watson.

A Beacom goal followed by another point from O’Callaghan gave Enniskillen supporters some hope of a comeback.

But these were dashed when Morgan palmed to the net for a third Kilcoo goal after a fine move involving Shealan Johnston, Laverty and Doherty.

Kilcoo: N Kane; N Branagan, R McEvoy, A Branagan (0-1); T Fettes, D Branagan (0-2), M Rooney (0-1); Aaron Morgan (1-0), Anthony Morgan; C Doherty (0-2), R Johnston (0-1), S Johnston (2-1); C Laverty (0-1), J Johnston, P Devlin (0-4, 4f).

Subs: E Branagan (0-1) for A Branagan (ht), Aidan Brangan for Morgan (50), G McEvoy for J Johnston (58), M Hynes for S Johnston (58), S Og McCusker for Laverty (59).

Enniskillen Gaels: C Newman; J Tierney, A Nolan, J Ferguson; J Horan (0-1), J Cassidy, C Watson (0-1); B Horan, R O’Callaghan (0-2); N McDermott, R McDonald, C McShea; C Love (0-1, free) J Reihill (0-1), C Smith.

Subs: P Reihill for McDermott (20), E Beacom (1-3, 1 free) for Smith (h-t), C Quinn for Ferguson (48), R Bogue for Watson (48), P Cassidy for McDonald (59).

Referee: Sean Hurson (Tyrone).

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